Participate in a research project
High quality research is essential to enable better understanding of autism and to develop improved supports in the future.
Why should you get involved?
Researchers are always looking for participants for their projects – the more participants, the greater the chances of meaningful results that reflect the wide range of issues that autistic people and their families face. So, get involved where you can – it will help improve their knowledge and it may benefit you!
Disclaimer: Autism Queensland aims to support research that promises to inform future directions of services for individuals on the spectrum and their families. Although we screen each project before advertising, we do not necessarily endorse the views, activities or organisations of researchers.
Projects seeking participants
Contact details of all researchers are provided for each of our projects. If you are interested in participating in a study please click on those of the following you believe will be of interest. This list is updated regularly and includes research being undertaken externally and by Autism Queensland.
Evaluating an alternative therapy to sleep difficulties in children on the autism spectrum.
Participants Required:
Children (6-12 years old) on the autism spectrum (level 2) and reported sleep difficulties, and their primary caregiver (children-primary caregiver dyad)
Brief Description of Project:
Sleep difficulties (SD) are significant and profound experiences that can impact the development of children on the autism spectrum.
Although cognitive behavioural therapy/behavioural sleep medicines are the first line for non-respiratory SD in children on the autism spectrum, there is increasing interest in alternative therapy. One such is using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modality.
This research aims to document the outcomes of electroencephalogram-tailored repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (α-rTMS) on children with autism spectrum and sleep difficulties, their quality of life and those of their primary caregivers using pre-post objective and subjective measures.
The research is designed as a randomised, waitlist-controlled, open-label pilot trial (20 participants; child-primary caregiver dyad), which will collect pre-post objective and subjective data on sleep outcomes using polysomnography (home sleep study), actigraphy (wearable on the wrist) and children sleep habit questionnaire (primary caregiver rated survey form). Pre-post-therapy data on the autism spectrum and quality of life will be collected using primary caregiver rated survey forms such as social responsive scale v2, paediatric quality of life inventory and Short Form 12 item (version 2) Health Survey (SF-12v2).
Benefits to Participants:
The major benefits to you (child) in participating in the study include objective measures of sleep difficulties using polysomnography (three overnight home sleep studies), actigraphy (ten to fourteen day recording period), and electroencephalogram (two to three sessions of ten minutes recording of brain activities); and ten sessions of rTMS therapy.
Contact Details:
For expression of interest, click the survey link or email Lawrence on [email protected]
Industrial Design Investigation into the Sensory Needs of Children on the Autism Spectrum
Participants Required:
Participants will be parents/guardians/careers of children on the spectrum, for an online questionnaire. A focus group will also be conducted in Gold Coast/ Brisbane region with participants being autistic children.
Brief Description of Project:
This investigation will explore Human-Centred Design practices (HCD), Action Research and Participatory Action Research principles (which incorporate both co-design and inclusive design strategies) to potentially improve our ability to design devices and equipment that encourage engagement with children on the autism spectrum (a group that is understudied due to the lack of suitable research equipment for their sensory differences).
This project aims to create a sensory and material design framework referencing the specific needs of children on the spectrum, which can be used to inform future designs and improve design outcomes.
There are two parts to the study. A focus group for autistic children and an online questionnaire for their parent/caregiver.
Participants will be children on the spectrum and their parents/caregivers. The age range is not specific and will be between 5 and 14 years old. Participation in the study is voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time. Having input from both children on the spectrum and their parents will give us valid insights into the sensory preferences these children experience.
Benefits to Participants:
Due to these sensory differences children experience, their engagement with objects and environments can be limiting, cause distress and disrupt their daily lives. Developing a material design framework that focuses on the sensory needs of children on the autism spectrum will allow researchers and designers to create better, more inclusive outcomes for children on the spectrum to interact and engage with their world. In addition, understanding the sensory preferences of children on the spectrum could improve designers’ choices when creating products, devices, and wearables.
Contact Details:
A study of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Pimavanserin in an ASD population
Participants Required:
We are looking for young people between 5 and 17 years of age diagnosed with ASD who also experience emotional dysregulation (e.g. easily irritable)
Brief Description of Project:
Research has shown the irritability may be the end result of a complex system of underlying difficulties including anxiety, sleep issues, mood concerns and epilepsy. These difficulties may be linked to serotonergic dysfunction. Pimavanserin may modify this serotonergic difficulty thus improving the downstream outcomes noted above.
Benefits to Participants:
We hope that this study will add to the body of literature relating to the impact of Pimavanserin on irritability. Furthermore, we hope that participants will benefit from the experience of participating in a clinical trial and understand how medications “come to market” from this process. Participants may also benefit from frequent trial appointments with a multidisciplinary team.
Contact Details:
Contact the CCTRND via 30697532 or [email protected]
Educators’ Knowledge, Perceptions, and Teaching for Self-determination
Participants Required:
The research team is looking for educators supporting autistic students in Years 1, 2, and/or 3, in inclusive schools.
Brief Description of Project:
The purpose of this project is to explore Australian teachers’ knowledge, perceptions, and teaching practices to support self-determination in autistic students in years 1-3 in inclusive contexts, using mixed methods, which includes the implementation of survey and interview.
Benefits to Participants:
It is expected that this research project will not benefit you directly. The outcomes of the research, however, may benefit autistic learners in years 1-3 in inclusive mainstream settings. You can access the outcomes through the thesis published in eprints, and journal publications.
Contact Details:
Ms Ying Sun
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 3138 3469
Wellbeing in Autistic and Non-Autistic People
Participants Required:
Any Autistic or Non-Autistic adult
Brief Description of Project:
We are an international team of Autistic and non-Autistic researchers studying loneliness and wellbeing.
Why is the research being conducted?
Many researchers measure loneliness in Autistic adults through scales that may not be appropriate for them. We have collaborated with Autistic adults and other experts to adapt a loneliness measure to better suit the Autistic community, as we need to appropriately measure loneliness in order to alleviate it.
Can you help?
We are looking for Autistic (self-identifying and formally diagnosed) and non-Autistic adults (18 years and older). You can be from any country, but the survey is presented in English.
What do I have to do?
You will complete an anonymous 15–30 minute online survey about your background, experiences of loneliness and mental health.
You can complete the survey with the help of a support person. You can choose to complete the survey yourself or do it over the phone or video call with a researcher.
Benefits to Participants:
When participants complete the survey, they can select one of five international charities for Aspect to donate $2 (AUD) to on their behalf.
Contact Details:
Visit this website: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/about-autism/our-research/loneliness
A personalised understanding of mental health in autistic adults
Participants Required:
Adults (18+ years) who identify as being autistic/on the autism spectrum, and who are fluent in English with no co-occurring Intellectual Disability (does not include learning disabilities e.g. dyslexia).
Brief Description of Project:
This study is aimed at furthering our understanding of mental health and wellbeing amongst autistic adults. We are looking to see if ‘subgroups’ of autistic adults that have similar strengths and challenges can be identified and then investigate if these groups have different relationships between varying areas of their mental health and wellbeing.
You will be asked to complete an online survey (approx 45 minutes to complete) which will ask you to respond to a range of existing and validated measures around common characteristics that are thought to be important for autistic adults (e.g., sensory sensitivity, camouflaging, emotion regulation) and mental health and wellbeing (e.g., mood, sleep, quality of life). You will also be asked to complete some basic demographics and will have the opportunity to opt-in for a 2-month follow-up.
Benefits to Participants:
You will have the opportunity to enter a prize draw with a 1 in 20 chance of receiving a gift voucher worth $50 AUD, there are no other direct benefits to participants as part of contributing to this research.
Additionally, we hope this study will help us further the current research and understanding around mental wellbeing in autistic adults and help to develop an understanding of how to support mental health and wellbeing specifically for autistic adults, rather than relying on supports created for the non-autistic population.
Contact Details:
Lauren Lawson (Principal Investigator)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 394 792 409
Actualise Lab
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actualiselab
Exploring Experiences of Repetitive Behaviours
Participants Required:
Adults (18+ years) who are autistic and have a co-occurring diagnosis of OCD.
Brief Description of Project:
We want to better understand what kinds of repetitive behaviours individuals engage in, and how they may be experienced as helpful or challenging. We are seeking autistic adults with a co-occurring diagnosis of OCD to complete a brief 15 minute survey and an interview (approximately 30-45 minutes), including individuals with formal diagnoses or who self-identify as autistic.
Interviews can be conducted online or face-to-face depending on participants’ individual preferences. The online survey asks questions about experiences with repetitive behaviours and interests and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We will ask for more details about these behaviours in a follow-up interview. Once participants have completed both the survey and the interview, they will be provided with a $20 gift voucher as reimbursement of your time.
Participation is completely voluntary, and your responses will be deidentified. This project has ethical approval from Griffith University Ethics Committee (GU ref no: 2023/327). To access the information sheet, consent form, and survey, please click here:
Benefits to Participants:
This research will not directly benefit participants. However, participating will help us to better understand the complex nature of repetitive behaviours, and the ways in which different repetitive behaviours may contribute to psychological health and life quality for individuals on the autism spectrum and those with OCD. We hope this will inform clearer parameters for identifying and providing support for autistic individuals and persons with OCD. We hope the findings of this research will increase our understanding of behaviours that may be helpful and those that may be harmful. This knowledge is likely to benefit others on the autism spectrum and people with OCD in the future.
Contact Details:
Jess (Jessica O’Loghlen), phone 0412 437 299, e-mail [email protected]
Jess (Jessica Paynter), phone 07 5678 7058, e-mail [email protected]
All About Me: Neurodivergent Children's Perspectives of Identity
Participants Required:
QUT researchers are inviting young neurodivergent children (aged between 4 and 8 years old) and their parent/carer to participate in this study. Being neurodivergent means having a cognitive style that varies from society-defined ‘typical’ minds, and might include being autistic, dyslexic, Tourette’s syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), among other variations including those not necessarily indicative of disability. A child does not have to have a diagnosis to take part in this research.
Brief Description of Project:
The purpose of this research is to investigate young neurodivergent children’s perspectives of identity – that is, how do young neurodivergent children see themselves as a person? What are their strengths, interests, and goals for the future?
Your participation (as legal guardian) will involve an initial interview with the lead researcher (Helen) to provide some background information about your child.
Your child’s participation, with you present, will involve two visits from Helen, during which your child will be invited to share aspects of their identity with Helen through methods that feel comfortable for them. This might include speaking about their identity, drawing a picture of themselves, taking photos, or finding pictures online using the researcher’s computer. Your child may use assistive communication methods to participate. Your child will then have opportunity to make a digital story book titled: “All About Me”. Helen, and you (the parent/carer) can help your child make this book. The finished book can then be shared with your child’s key people in their life (if your child agrees). For example, the book can be shared with their teachers, which is particularly helpful if your child is starting a new school year.
Benefits to Participants:
It is expected that this research project will benefit your child directly because they will have opportunity to create a story book about themselves, that can then be shared with key people in their life (if they choose to do so).
If you are interested in this study, please contact Helen at the below contact details.
Contact Details:
Helen McLennan
PhD Candidate and Principle Researcher (QUT)
0432 496 412
[email protected]
You will be provided with further information to ensure that your (and your child’s) decision and consent to participate is fully informed.
Learning about neurodivergent adults’ thoughts on using a self-guided online program for mental health
Participants Required:
We would love to hear from neurodivergent adults (aged 18 and over) who live in Australia to help raise neurodivergent voices and improve care. We are looking for self-diagnosed or officially diagnosed adults who have any of the below neurotypes: Autism, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) including 2e presentations, AuDHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia.
Brief Description of Project:
We would like neurodivergent adults (aged 18 and over) to complete a short 15–30-minute online survey on their perspectives towards the use of self-guided online programs for mental health. In the online survey you will be asked both closed and open questions and you do not have to answer all questions or give a great amount of detail (unless you want to). These questions will explore your previous experiences and attitudes of using various types of mental health interventions as well as some information about your circumstances. Findings from this study will inform the future development and implementation of these programs with the neurodivergent community, with the hope of improving care and allowing the voices and needs of neurodivergent individuals to be heard.
Benefits to Participants:
Your participation will help improve the mental health support we are able to provide to neurodivergent people and allow them to have a voice about what sort of interventions suit their needs.
Contact Details:
Dr Shelley Viskovich
Principal Investigator
The University of Queensland
[email protected]
Georgia Darr
Co-investigator
The University of Queensland
[email protected]
James Fowler
Co-investigator
The University of Queensland
[email protected]
ENACT: Environmental Enrichment for infants: parenting with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Participants Required:
Participants will be women aged 18 years and over who are pregnant with a child who has a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) on the autism spectrum.
Brief Description of Project:
The aim of this research is to test the efficacy of an innovative early intervention and parent support program, ENACT, for families of babies with an increased chance of autism due to family history. Participants will be randomly assigned to the ENACT and usual care conditions. Participants allocated to ENACT will be offered the program starting prenatally and continuing until the baby is 12 months old. All participants will be asked to complete assessments (questionnaires and/or developmental assessments) when signing up and when their child is 3, 6 and 12 months of age. The mother-baby relationship, maternal mental health and baby development will all be assessed.
Benefits to Participants:
All participants, regardless of group allocation, will receive a report from our developmental paediatrician detailing their infant’s developmental assessment at 12 months of age free of charge. This will be useful in obtaining early diagnosis and/or supports.
Contact Details:
https://qcprrc.centre.uq.edu.au/project/enact
Does repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), compared to sham rTMS, improve social communication in adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?
Participants Required:
People between 14 and 40 years of age with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder may be eligible to join this study.
Participants with a history of seizures, an implanted medical device, or moderate to severe intellectual disability cannot participate in this study.
Description of Project:
Background: Many individuals with ASD experience difficulty with social functioning; for example, in understanding what other people are thinking or feeling. This may cause significant distress and lead to difficulties and anxiety in social situations. There are very few intervention options for improving abilities related to social functioning in ASD.
Aim: The aim of this project is to determine whether rTMS can be used to improve social function. rTMS is a safe and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in a particular part of the brain via the administration of brief magnetic pulses. rTMS has been developed as a intervention for major depressive disorder, and we have previously found that rTMS can benefit social aspects of ASD.
Methodology: In this study we will stimulate a region of the brain that is involved in social understanding and social communication. This region is called the right temporoparietal junction, or rTPJ.
Some participants will receive the real form of rTMS, while others will receive a sham or placebo form. The sham or placebo form mimics the feeling of rTMS, but no brain stimulation is delivered. You will not know which one you receive until the end of your involvement in the study. Those who received the sham or placebo form will be given the opportunity to undergo the real rTMS intervention at the end of their involvement in the study.
Participants will come in for multiple sessions across an 8-month period. The sessions will involve MRI brain scans, the TMS sessions, genetic analysis, cognitive testing, and clinical assessments.
150 people (aged 14-40 years) will take part in this study, which is being conducted throughout Australia. There are sites in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. Participants will be recruited from around Australia, but primarily the greater metropolitan regions within these five cities. In Brisbane we are looking for 30 participants.
rTMS is an experimental intervention. This means that it is not an approved intervention for ASD in Australia or elsewhere.
Benefits to Participants:
We cannot guarantee or promise that you will receive any benefits from this research; however, possible benefits include an improvement in social understanding and functioning, including an increased ability to accurately infer what other people are thinking or feeling.
Contact Details:
Dr Suzanne Harte
The University of Queensland
E. [email protected]
P. 07 3069 7604
Researchers
If you would like to have your project listed on our site, please click here.
For more information about research at Autism Queensland
P. 07 3273 0000